A question

psalm, RN · Sep 23, 2005

...give yourself time!! Have you considered talking to the instructor for pointers? Are your tests multiple choice or essay or short answers? If multiple choice, you may have a rationale for your answers that could help you to answer the question asked. Ie, if the quest. is "what is the FIRST thing you would do if a pt presents with ....?" you'd have to be sure your choice would be the FIRST choice for the pt. Care plans take awhile. The first few tests I took in nursing school I passed but barely...and I felt bad because I studied alot! With time I got up to my usual good grades...I was able to put it all together.

...do you study with a group or alone? Find what works for you. I used to rewrite some of my notes to study...or make note cards on colored index cards. Each color was a different area of anatomy or drugs etc. See what works for you.

...take a deep breath, breathe out and hang in there. :)

colleennurse, ASN, RN · Sep 23, 2005

Don't give up yet! Just to let you know, I can't wait to be a nurse and I absoluetly hate studying! I do it because I know that by doing it, it will bring me the reward of having the knowledge to take boards and be a nurse! School is a lot of hard work. I cry at least once a week d/t the stress, I also have to work a lot to survive and it can be tough to keep up with it. But you obviously have an interest in being an nurse and you have already gotten this far by getting into nursing school. For most of us this a huge challenge! Do you have a lot on your plate otherwise? If you do want to be a nurse, you can do it!

mom2michael, MSN, RN, NP · Sep 23, 2005

Oh believe me, studying does nothing but give me ulcers and a headache.

Don't give up, the material starts to build on info you've already learned and talked about in class. It makes it somehwhat easier to understand and process the further on your go.

Also, don't get discouraged about having to re-write papers. Part of school is learning how to "write like a nurse" which doesn't always mean you are going to write like you are in English class. The only way the teacher can help you grow in your writing skills is by corrections and having you try again.

Good luck to you!!

papa429 · Sep 23, 2005

I am having difficulty. We have taking a few test in my classes. I did not do good. I feel like this is not for me. If this is what you are born to do, don't you suppose to read like crazy, study like crazy, and process this information like you are reading a love story? I am not saying I don't study. I really do. You are suppose to be happy when you are studying. Even when the teachers give those careplan assignments, you feel some anxiety at first, but when you start you are happy to do the work. I don't feel that. When I got my IPR and my Grand List of Nursing Diagnosis back from an assignment we had to do, I was told I had to do it over. I felt so overwhelm, but I didn't care, I did it over. If I don't do good on my careplan assignment, I may quick the program. I need some advice.
Ebony

I took nursing as a mid-life change of career and you can just imagine how hard studying is for a middle aged guy especially competing with classmates half my age. But I persevered and passed the nursing program. Ask your instructor for pointers in writing a care plan or what he/she wants in them. Another advise is to buy/get at least 2 good NCLEX books and practice taking at least 10 test questions everyday. This prepares you for the Boards as well as school exams (most instructors praphrase questions from NCLEX books).

Good luck! Have fun always!

ICRN2008, BSN, RN · Sep 23, 2005

I do not think that most people enjoy studying, but it's a necessary evil. If you are having trouble, you may be able to get a tutor through your school. Also, you may need to re-examine your other commitments and spend more time on your schoolwork. I found that the amount of time I thought was adequate for studying was in fact far too little for me to get the grades I wanted. Are you studying in a quiet place free from distractions? I agree with the other posters that learning study skills and test-taking skills will go a long way towards helping you improve your grades.

Hang in there and keep trying!

beduvroses · Sep 23, 2005

...give yourself time!! Have you considered talking to the instructor for pointers? Are your tests multiple choice or essay or short answers? If multiple choice, you may have a rationale for your answers that could help you to answer the question asked. Ie, if the quest. is "what is the FIRST thing you would do if a pt presents with ....?" you'd have to be sure your choice would be the FIRST choice for the pt. Care plans take awhile. The first few tests I took in nursing school I passed but barely...and I felt bad because I studied alot! With time I got up to my usual good grades...I was able to put it all together.
...do you study with a group or alone? Find what works for you. I used to rewrite some of my notes to study...or make note cards on colored index cards. Each color was a different area of anatomy or drugs etc. See what works for you.
...take a deep breath, breathe out and hang in there. :)

They be multiple choice and the math test was like fill in the blank. The way they do test is like crazy. You can't miss alot at all. They be like 30 question, 50 question, and 40 question. I have tried index cards. They were good to use when I had time to write them. It is very hard to study for a test when you have to do a careplan and other projects.

beduvroses · Sep 23, 2005

I really don't have any commitments. I only work weekends. Don't have any kids. I am not marry. My boyfriend doesn't come in the way of my studying. Well, my family doesn't bother me. They sort of can be a distraction sometimes, but I have learn that I need to study in my room. Thanks for the advice. Its good to hear from people who have already done it or just getting into the nursing program.

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Sep 24, 2005

Ebony, I can't say that I felt happy when I was (or am) studying, but I am focused on what I am doing. When I am reading about something that I want to know I am totally absorbed in it. While I'm reading questions are sometimes forming in my mind. Happy, for me is eating a hot fudge sundae! It takes time to perfect your ability to do nursing care plans. The important thing is that you learn and improve from your mistakes. You are going to have situations come up as a nurse where you will make mistakes and will have to learn and improve as a result of them. That's the school of Hard Knocks, kiddo. Those of us who go that route often get a much deeper understanding of the material because of the emotion that accompanies our failures with it at first. Keep plugging along. Be like the turtle in the story of the tortoise and the hare.

workingX23RN44 · Sep 24, 2005

Ebony,

Tests grade your smarts. Nursing is a lot of smarts. You need to decide if you enjoy the information you learn. With education anybody can pass the grade... but do you enjoy it.

Todays nursing is boggled with paperwork and get this exactly right and do this as soon as poss. Monday morning quarter-backing all the way.

The question is: Do you like the people? Do you feel for the people? Are you going to FIGHT for the people? In my opinion that is where it's at in nursing. If you don't feel up to the people, making sure that based on your knowledge, they are going to "win" because YOU are going to see to it. Nursing will only be frustrating to you.

Good Luck, but rememder school smarts are good...but you can always look it up in a book if you care enough about the people to make sure they get the BEST care you can provide.

KatieBell · Sep 24, 2005

Ebony,

I hope this doesn't seem rude, but I was reading through your posts and noticed a few things, and it appears that you might not have been particularly well prepared for nursing school by your high school.

There's someting you can do about it!

There is probably some sort of center on campus that helps students with study skills, time management and organization. It would be a great place to visit, as they will give you pointers on how to improve you studying, and your writing, and also give you a lot of support.

In addition to that, I'd make friends with your professors, visit them often, and see what they can do to help you. This goes the same for other students- who might share notes with you, etc. Seeing how someone else prioritizes things in notes, may help you to improve your own note taking and studying.

truern · Sep 25, 2005

Ebony,
I hope this doesn't seem rude, but I was reading through your posts and noticed a few things, and it appears that you might not have been particularly well prepared for nursing school by your high school.
There's someting you can do about it!
There is probably some sort of center on campus that helps students with study skills, time management and organization. It would be a great place to visit, as they will give you pointers on how to improve you studying, and your writing, and also give you a lot of support.

I agree. A key element in nursing is clear and concise written and verbal communication.